Freezing
by Cabin3Demigod
Summary: It's the middle of Winter, and Remus has decided to wash all the clothes and sheets- the Muggle way! Tonks is just about angry enough to ban him from an activity he loves. But will she? Written for the HPFC Potter Project Competition.


Tonks lay curled up in a ball on the couch, awaiting the sound of an opening door. She was shivering madly, her teeth chattering. Any normal witch would have grabbed a blanket or curl up under the bed covers, but that wasn't an option for Tonks right now. Her fiancée had chosen today of all days to wash the bed sheets and towels- the _Muggle_ way. Which meant that they would have to wait another hour to be considerably warm again. And Tonks had only one question: Who in the bloody hell was mad enough to wash objects of warmth in winter? _Obviously my fiancée._

She lay there for three and a half more agonizing minutes, waiting, anticipating- until finally, it came. There was a faint click from the hallway and the bathroom door opened. Tonks saw a pair of long legs walk toward her, sweat pants covering them. They stopped at the door and Tonks looked up. There was Remus, smug as a smug git could be. He had that Marauder glint in his eyes. Tonks grit her teeth at his warm clothing: a long-sleeved gray sweatshirt, the fitted skullie she'd gotten him last Christmas. Remus hadn't bothered to save her any clean winter clothes- he was getting ready to wash the clothes next- and that was so unlike him. He normally thought about her and made sure she was alright before he was. She was surprised by his forgetfulness. But coldness took over shock, so Tonks found herself threatening him rather than scolding him.

"Get over here and hold me you smug git!" She growled, moving her hands up and down her arms.

Remus just stood there, grinning even more. "Is that anyway to speak to a potential warming object?" His arms were crossed now.

Tonks rolled her eyes at him without much effort. The room was so cold, she was dizzy. "Yes, it is." She retorted lamely.

Remus raised an eyebrow and frowned- finally, some showing of sympathy or remorse! He still didn't move a muscle, unless it was his jaw. "If you really wanted to get warm, Nymphadora-."

"_Don't_ call me Nymphadora!" Tonks managed hoarsely. Remus ignored her. "-then you'd come over here and hug me."

Tonks made a threading gesture with her fingers and got up, muttering angrily. A curse or two fluttered from her lips as she shuffled toward Remus. He was waiting expectantly, like she was_ supposed_ to hug him. Merlin knew he didn't deserve it! She reluctantly threw her arms around him, but Remus didn't move his hands to her back. Tonks grimaced and glanced up at him. He was still smirking like a maniac.

"What now?" she asked helplessly.

"That's not a proper hug, Nymph..."

Tonks pulled the front of his shirt. "I'll show you a proper hug!" In the moment of his bemusement, Tonks flung Remus onto the couch with all of her might. When she surveyed him, he was still confused. The same could be said when she curled up against him. _Good._

All too soon, Remus snapped out of his daze and wrapped his arms around her. Hugging Tonks close to his chest, he whispered, "I didn't know hugs with werewolves in jogging suits turned you on."

She elbowed him in the stomach, earning a grunt. Tonks "_hmmp_"d triumphantly and said teasingly, "They don't. I'd rather have a pixie in a jogging suit."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Of course, and that's exactly why you forced me onto the couch. You know full well what you wanted to do."

Tonks was happy that her back was turned to him, so that Remus wouldn't see her blushing. "Yeah, well...Not anymore! You'll be lucky if we ever do_ that_ again."

He sat up a little and caressed her cheek. Almost instantly, Tonks found herself pleading him to lay back down. Remus winked at her before he did. "See? You're begging me to lay down Nymph." There was a thoughtful look on his face. "Dirtying your winter clothes was a good idea."

A scowl took over Tonks' features. "You did that on _purpose_?" she shouted, standing quickly. Remus was lying down in an all too welcoming position, and Tonks found herself about to cave in before an argument even progressed.

"Yes, it was all part of the plan." Remus stood too. _Good. Less tempting for me._ "You didn't think I'd just forget about you in my normal state? No. I just wanted to...see how long you would cling to me. See how long you'd put up with me before I told you that the sheets and clothes are under the couch, concealed by an invisibility charm."

Tonks fumed. She threw all the pillows at him in her rage. Next, she went for the cup holders, then the napkins- before Remus finally stopped her on the cutlery. He held her wrists firmly and kissed them both. Tonks growled at him but found it difficult to stay angry when he had those puppy- or wolfy- dog eyes. Her face softened at the way Remus ran his hands up her shoulders. And the way he bent his head to peck her shoulder blades. She wanted to run her hands through that hair of his; give in to him.

"I have a proposition for you, if we can...move this someplace else?" Remus said.

"I told you, that place is off limits to you now." Tonks found it very challenging to give him an angry expression- even a mockingly angry one.

"But it won't be after you've heard my proposition." He said matter-of-factly.

"And what would that be?" Tonks was dazed by him now. The cold had somehow disappeared.

Remus grinned cheekily. "You don't have to call me Mr. Wolfy in the bedroom for a month."

And Tonks took the offer willingly, but didn't exactly stop the Mr. Wolfy name calling. It made Remus turn into an...animal, and she liked that. So for the rest of the month of December, Tonks was warmed by Mr. Wolfy and him alone. She forgot all about the blankets and sheets- they both did- because with her fiancée by her side, Tonks was no longer freezing.  
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